Ajar door holder



B. s. BERNHARD AJAR DOOR HOLDER April 25, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed fiov. 9, 1944 INVENTOR M n w a J .n, m .a w e E ATTO R N EY$ am I63 Patented Apr. 25, 1950 AJAR DOOR HOLDER Benjamin S. Bernhard, New Britain, Conn, as-

signor to The American Hardware Corporation, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut , Application November 9, 1944, Serial No. 562,595

8 Claims.

My invention relates to an ajar door holder.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved form of ajar door holder, which may be simply operated to hold a door ajar to any extent desired.

It is another object to provide an ajar door holder which is simple in construction, positive in action, and which may be readily manipulated for holding a door in ajar position and equally readily manipulated to disengage the holder so as to permit the door to be opened wide and, in general, the object is to provide an improved form of ajar door holder.

Briefly stated, in a preferred form of the invention I employ a swinging arm and a clamping means, which parts are to be attached to a door and door frame. The clamping means and swinging arm may be disengaged from each other so as to permit a full opening of the door. When the clamping means and arm are moved into cooperative relation (and they can be moved into such relationship only when the door is closed), then the door may be moved to ajar position, and when the door has been moved to ajar position the arm and clamping means may not be disengaged from each other. The clamping means is so constructed and arranged relatively to the arm that the arm may be clamped by the clamping means at any desired point along the length of the arm so that the door may be held in ajar position to just the desired extent. The arm and clamping means cannot be disengaged from each other from the outside of the door for the reason that such disengagement is possible only when the door is closed.

In the drawings which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention---- Fig 1 is a fragmentary view of a conventional door frame and door with one form of my improved holder attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially in the plane of the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing the relative positions of parts when the door is closed and the clamping means of the holder disengaged from the swinging arm;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in coacting and operative position more or less in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the arm means taken substantially in the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the arm in disengaged normal position;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an isometric detail view 01" a spring in the bracket housing; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view of a backing plate for the spring of Fig. 7.

In the drawings I have illustrated my improved ajar door holder applied to a conventional door 5 and door frame 6. In the particular form illustrated, a swinging arm means, designated generally 1, is attached to the door frame while the clamping means designated generally 8 is attached to the door.

The arm means may include a housing 9 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6), mortised into the door frame and held thereon as by means of screws illustrated in Fig. 1. The housing 9 may have a U-shaped sheet metal cover It! secured thereto as by means of screws H-Il. An arm bracket l2 has its inner end position within the bracket housing and is pivotally held therein for movement about a vertical axis by means of a pivot rivet I 3 secured to the housing. The rear of the bracket l2 may be fiat as indicated at M, and a backing plate l5, which has a nice sliding fit inside the housing and cover I 0, abuts the flat end of the bracket. Resilient means such as the plate spring It may be positioned between the bottom of the cover In and the backing plate l5. In the form shown, the backing plate has a projection I1 tofit an aperture l8 in the spring so as to hold the parts in proper relative position. Thus the spring acting on the backing plate, and the latter abutting the fiat end [4 of the bracket, will always tend to resiliently cam the bracket to its normal central positon as is best seen in Fig. 6. However, the bracket [2 may swing about the pivot l3 and in so doing one end or the other of the fiat surface I4 will cam the spring down, but as soon as the bracket is free to move it will be returned by the spring to the normal position shown. I

The swinging arm I9 is pivotally carried by the projecting end of the bracket, and in the form shown the end of the bracket is bifurcated and the arm l9 fits within the end of the bracket and is pivotally held therein as by means of the pivot rivet 20, as will be understood. Thus, the arm [9 may swing up about the horizontal axis of pivot 20 and the arm, with the bracket l2, may swing to some extent about the vertical axis of the pivot l3, this movement being desirable since the arm must swing up and down from its normal position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. 1,

and as the door is opened the arm and its bracket slotted web 23 and right angularly extending flanges 24; in other words, each part of the arm adjacent the slot is of substantially T-section, thus providing great transverse strength coupled with lightness.

The clamping means 8 (in this case attached to the door) is so constructed that the clamping member may project into engagement with the swinging arm when the door is in closed position, and when the door is opened the clamping member and arm will be held against disengagement. The clamping means is arranged for clamping the arm at any desired position along the length thereof so as to hold the door in desired ajar position. In the specific form illustrated, the clamping means includes a bolt case 25 to be attached to the door as by means of screws 25.. The bolt case has a bore 21 therein for receiving a sliding bolt 28. The bolt is held against rotation and its sliding movement is irictionally resisted. In the form illustrated the bolt has a flat 2 9 milled therein. and the bolt case carries a sliding key plug having a flat face .31 to fit the fiat on the bolt and the key plug 30 is urged, as by means of a spring 32, into frictional engagement with the bolt. Means such as a screw plug 33 holds the spring 32 in the bore which carries the key plug 30. Thus, the bolt is held against rotation and at the same time the plug exerts a resilient frictional force on the bolt so as to resist its sliding movement. Such resistance, however, is only heavy enough to prevent accidental or too free sliding of the bolt in the bolt casing. The bolt has clam-ping means for engagement with the arm, and in the form illustrated the bolt is necked as indicated at 34, leaving a head thereon. The head 35 .is of a size to freely pass through the enlargement 22 of the swinging arm, and the neck portion or shank 34 is of a size to freely pass the main portion 2| of the slot in the arm. The head 35 will prevent disengagement of the bolt from the arm when the shank is in the main portion 21 of the slot. The forward end of the bolt is slotted as indicated at 36 so as to provide an expansible and contractible spring shank. When the shank is expanded it will grip the opposite edges of the slot 2! and when the expanding force is relieved, the resilience of the metal of the bolt will contract it to normal size for free sliding in the slot.

The bolt shank is expanded in the form shown by means of a spindle 3'! having a conical end 38 to 'fit a conical seat in the forward end of the bolt. The bore of the bolt and the spindle have coasting quick pitch threads 39 so that when the spindle is rotated half a turn or so the conical end 38 will expand the shank 34 sufficiently for gripping the sides of the slot. The spindle is provided with a suitable handle 40 which may have a socketed base 4| to receive the knurled end 42 of the spindle. Means such as a screw 43 passing through the handle and into the spindle will serve to draw the handle up onto the knurled end of the spindle and securely hold the handle in any rotatively adjusted position on the spindle. The handle 40 may be provided with a projection 44 so as to hold the handle away from the door so that it may be easily engaged by the fingers. a

The operation is as follows:

With the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2, that is, the positions where the arm and clamping means are disengaged from each other (so that the door could be opened wide), the handle 40 is urged toward the left, and the spin- 4 die along with the sliding bolt will be moved to the left against the friction of the plug 30 until the head 35 passes through the enlargement 22 "of the swinging arm. Thereafter, the door is opened and the shank 34 then passes into the main part 2| of the slot. When the door is in the desired ajar position, the handle 40 is rotated so as to project the spindle nose 38 into the conical bore of the bolt and expand the shank into tight frictional engagement with the sides of the slot 2! as indicated in Fig. 3. The handle 40 will then be more or less in the position shown in Fig. 1, the position of course depending upon the general design, including the lead of the threads 39. Thus, the door will be securely held in any desired ajar position. To loosen the clamping means, the handle 40 is simply moved back so as to withdraw the conical nose 38 of the spindle and permit the resilient shank 34 to spring back to its normal position.

It will be observed that the arm and clamping means'can only be engaged with each other when the door is in fully closed position and when they are once engaged with each other they cannot be disengaged from each other when the door is in any position other than the closed position. When the arm and clamping bolt are disengaged from each other, that is, when they are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the door may be freely opened and it is possible for the bolt '28 to be projected either accidentally or by toying with the handle ii). With the bolt projected, it would ordinarily be impossible to close the door for the reason that the bolt would strike against the arm. I have therefore provided an inclined projection or strike :15 on the arm, which strike would be engaged by the projected head 35 on the bolt so that in closing the door the bolt would be cammed back to its normal position as shown in Fig. 2. If desired, the arm may be provided with a hook end 46, which may simply be dropped over the end of a shank 35 when the bolt is projected, so as to hold the door in maximum ajar position. If desired a rubber or other buffer button 46" may be carried by the housing 9 in position to sunb the arm l9 when it is free of the clamping means.

While the invention has been described in considerabie detail and a preferred form illustrated, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an ajar door holder for attachment to a door frame member and a door member, a swinging arm to be attached to one of said members, clamping means to be attached to the other of said members, said swinging arm having a 1ongitudinally extending slot therein, said clamping means including an expansible clamping member to ride in said slot, and means for expanding said expansible member for causing it to frictionally grip within said slot, for the purpose described.

2. In an ajar door holder to be secured to a door frame member and a door member, a swinging arm to be attached to one of said members, clamping means to be attached to the other of said members, said clamping means including a sliding bolt member movable from an inoperative position to a positioin to engage said swinging arm, said bolt at the point engageable with said arm being laterally expansible and contract-ible whereby it may be expanded and contracted for releasing and gripping said arm, and means coacting with said sliding bolt member for causing the laterally expansible and contraetible portion thereof to frictionally grip said swinging arm at any desired position along the length thereof.

3. In an ajar door holder to be attached to a door frame member and a door member, a swine ing arm to be attached to one of said members, clamping means to be attached to the other of said members, said swinging arm having a longitudinally extending slot therein with an enlargement at one part of said slot, said clamping means including a sliding bolt having a head thereon and a reduced shank in rear of said head, said head being of a size to pass through said enlargement of said slot when said sliding bolt member is projected into operative position, said head being of a size to prevent withdrawal of said.

Sliding bolt member from said slot at a point removed from the enlargement thereof, said bolt having a longitudinal slot adjacent the head L thereon to render said bolt laterally expansible at the reduced shank portion thereof, and means for expanding said sliding bolt at the reduced shank portion in said slot to cause said sliding bolt member to frictionally grip within said slot for holding the door member ajar to any desired extent.

4. In an ajar door holder for attachment to a door frame member and a door member, a swinging arm to be attached to one of said members,

clamping means to be attached to the other of said members, said clamping means including a bolt case, a bolt slidable therein, means for frictionally resisting sliding of said bolt member, an

expansible end on said bolt member, camming means within said expansible end, means for moving said camming means to expand said expansible end, said sliding bolt member being cooperable with said swinging arm for clamping the latter in any desired position relatively to said clamping means.

5. In an ajar door holder to be attached to a door frame member and a door member, a swinging arm to be attached to one of said members, clamping means to be attached to the other of said members, said clamping means including a bolt case, a bolt slidable therein and projecting therefrom, means for keying said bolt against rotation and frictionally resisting sliding movement thereof, said sliding bolt having a slotted forward end, a spindle threaded in said sliding bolt member and having a head of cam form for projecting into and expanding said slotted end on said bolt when said spindle is rotated relatively to said bolt, said swinging arm having means for coaction with said expansible head on said sliding bolt for clamping said arm in any desired position relatively to said clamping means.

6. In a door ajar holder to be attached to a door frame member and door member, a swinging arm to be attached to one of said members, clamping means to be attached to the other of said members, said clamping means including a bolt casing, a bolt slidably mounted therein so as to project from said easing into a position to lie athwart said swinging arm, said arm having a strike surface for camming said slidable bolt into retracted position when said door is moved to closed position.

7. In an ajar door holder, swinging arm means to be attached to a door casing, clamping means to be attached to a door, said swinging arm means including a housing to be attached to the door frame, an arm bracket in said housing and projecting to the outside thereof, a vertical pivot in said housing for pivotally mounting said bracket to swing about a vertical axis, spring earn; in said housing and cooperating with said bracket for urging the latter into normal position relatively to said bracket housing, a swinging arm pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis on the projecting part of said arm bracket, whereby said arm may swing about said horizontal axis and with said bracket may swing about a vertical axis, the rest position of said arm being substantially vertical along said door frame, said arm having a longitudinally extending slot therein with an enlarged upper end, said clamping means including a bolt case to be secured to a door, a bolt slidable in said case, means for frictionally resisting sliding of said bolt in said case, said bolt having a head thereon with a reduced shank in rear of said head, said head being positioned so as to project into the enlargement of said slot in said arm, whereby said bolt may be projected so as to cause said shank to be positioned in line with said slot and whereby when said door is opened said shank will ride within said slot and the head on said bolt will prevent disengagement of the shank from the slot, said projecting end of said bolt being slotted to render the same resilient, a spindle within said sliding bolt and in threaded engagement therewith, said spindle having a cam and fitting a cam seat in the forward end of said bolt, a handle for said spindle for rotating the latter so as to cause the cam end thereof to move forward and expand said shank into engagement with the sides of said slot for frictionally clamping the shank of said bolt in any desired position along the length of said slot, whereby the door may be held ajar to any extent desired within the limits of said arm.

8. In an ajar door holder to be secured to a door frame member and a door member, a swinging arm to be attached to one of said members, clamping means to be attached to the other of said members, said clamping means being engageable with said arm and slidable therealong, said clamping means including a bolt member in cluding a part movable generally radially of the axis of said bolt member for gripping cooperation with said arm, said bolt-member axis being substantially perpendicular to the sliding path on said arm, said part of said bolt member being in gripping relation with said arm in one radially moved position and in releasing relation with said arm in another radially moved position, and manual actuating means for radially moving said part of said bolt member.

BENJAMIN S. BERNI-IARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 406,840 Jones July 9, 1889 761,568 Wedler May 31, 1904 773,579 De Mayo Nov. 1, 1904 822,742 Munyon et a1 June 5, 1906 935,389 Mitchell Sept. 28, 1909 1,524,088 Ernst Jan. 27, 1925 1,585,241 Grimley May 18, 1926 1,673,189 Frank et a1 June 12, 1928 2,091,015 Sargent Aug. 24, 1937 

